Clinical studies of the relationship between the complication of cervicofacial rhytidectomy postoperative nausea and vomiting and different rhytidectomy sites.

[BACKGROUND] It was demonstrated that there are many complications following cervicofacial rhytidectomy, such as hematoma, edema, seromas, ecchymosis, nerve injury, hypertrophic scarring, contour irregularities, infection, nausea, vomiting, and so on. Accordingly, there is a lot of reports about the treatment of complications following rhytidectomy; nonetheless, we find that there is a trifle of research about the complication of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Thus, this study analyzes the cause of postoperative nausea and vomiting and the relationship between it and different sites.

[METHODS] From 2004 to 2008, 108 patients with a mean age of 52 years (range, 30-74 years) underwent cervicofacial rhytidectomy.The approach of operation is local subcutaneous undermining and superficial musculoaponeurotic system double-plication or suture. All data were recorded such as the time when postoperative nausea and vomiting occurred, the duration of the symptom, the frequency of nausea and vomiting, and the antiemetic medicine taken. All cases were grouped according to the different sites of operation. We divided the patients into group A1 and group A2 based on whether forehead rhytidectomy was performed. Meanwhile, we divided the patients into group B1 and group B2 based on whether cervical rhytidectomy was performed. The data of each group were recorded and statistically analyzed.

[RESULT] Among 108 patients, postoperative nausea and vomiting occurred in 55 patients. The duration of symptom was about 24 hours. The frequency of vomiting was 1 to 5 times. Besides, nausea and vomiting was characteristic of time limit and the tendency of termination. The ratios of vomiting between groups A1 and A2 were significantly different (P < 0.000 l). The ratios between groups B1 and B2 are of no significant difference (P > 0.05).

[CONCLUSIONS] The occurrence of postoperative nausea and vomiting is significantly related with forehead rhytidectomy; nonetheless, postoperative nausea and vomiting almost do not occur in the mid-inferior face and cervical rhytidectomy.